286 WORK ON 'MAN.' [1868. 



consent to omit and shorten some parts, and I am confident 

 that this is very wise. As I know your object is to instruct 

 the public, you will assuredly thus get many more readers in 

 England. Indeed, I believe that almost every book would 

 be improved by condensation. I have been reading a good 

 deal of your last book,* and the style is beautifully clear and 

 easy to me ; but why it should differ so much in this respect 

 from your great work I cannot imagine. I have not yet read 

 the first part, but began with the chapter on Lyell and myself, 

 which you will easily believe pleased me very much. I think 

 Lyell, who was apparently much pleased by your sending 

 him a copy, is also much gratified by this chapter. f Your 

 chapters on the affinities and genealogy of the animal king- 

 dom strike me as admirable and full of original thought. 

 Your boldness, however, sometimes makes me tremble, but 

 as Huxley remarked, some one must be bold enough to make 

 a beginning in drawing up tables of descent. Although you 

 fully admit the imperfection of the geological record, yet 

 Huxley agreed with me in thinking that you are sometimes 

 rather rash in venturing to say at what periods the several 

 groups first appeared. I have this advantage over you, that 

 I remember how wonderfully different any statement on this 

 subject made 20 years ago, would have been to what would 

 now be the case, and I expect the next 20 years will make 

 quite as great a difference. Reflect on the monocotyle- 

 donous plant just discovered in the primordial formation in 

 Sweden. 



I repeat how glad I am at the prospect of the translation, 

 for I fully believe that this work and all your works will have 

 a great influence in the advancement of Science. 



Believe me, my dear Hackel, your sincere friend, 



CHARLES DARWIN. 



*'Die Natiirliche Schopfungs-Geschichte,' 1868. It was translated 

 and published in 1876, under the title, ' The History of Creation.' 



f See Lyell's interesting letter to Haeckel. ' Life of Sir C. Lyell,' ii 

 P. 435- 



